Lookbook Vol. 2
DEFINITION
For the year 2019, the number of births per 1,000 females ages 15-19.36
Teen Birth Rate
OKLAHOMA
Data Highlight: As of 2019, the Oklahoma teen birth rate has decreased 52.2 NATIONAL AVERAGE percent since 2009. In 2018, Oklahoma was ranked 46 in teen 16.6 per 1,000 births133 birth rate and was the fastest declining in the nation. 36 In 2019, however, the Oklahoma teen birth rate rose 1 percent, while the national average dropped 4.6 percent according to preliminary data.133 27.4 per 1,000 births36
Why We Care: The teen birth rate is often used as a proxy for unintended pregnancy though nearly 18 percent of teen pregnancies are intentional.37 The majority are not, and teen pregnancy can often thwart or abate educational and career goals of young parents. Teen birth rate has decreased by 52.2 percent in Oklahoma since 2009, a trend that mirrors reductions across the country, largely attributed to intentional, evidence-based and medically accurate prevention programming. 38 While this trend is promising, we find health inequities in the data, as Black and Latinx teens involved in the foster care system are twice as likely to experience a teen pregnancy. 39 What We Can Do: - Ensure individuals have adequate information and access to all forms of birth control in order to choose the best method for their lifestyle - Evaluate other data sources in addition to teen birth rates to acknowledge the reproductive autonomy of teens and women overall - Support inclusive, scientific, evidence-based, prevention programming addressing subsequent teen births - Advocate for comprehensive, inclusive, scientific, and evidence-based health education in all Oklahoma schools - Provide adequate support for expecting and parenting teens
p. 24
